文惠廉主教與聖公會在華教會事業的開創：十九世紀中葉美國基督新教與中國文化的接觸與對話

William J. Boone (1811-1864) and the Establishment of American Episcopal Missionary Enterprise in China: the Encounter between American Protestantism and Chinese Culture in the Nineteenth Century.

由於美國聖公會中國差會是基督新教自英國倫敦會馬禮遜（1782-1834）在一八○七年入華傳教以來最早的九個新教傳教團體中的一個。同時，該會也是美國傳教團體最早來華開拓傳教事業的三個團體中的一個。因此，以美國聖公會的個案來探討基督新教在十九世紀中葉對華傳教的願景，可以反應（一）美國新教宗派所置身的宗教思潮與社會背景和興起到中國傳教的關係，（二）新教宗派教會所屬之中國差會在華開創傳教事業所遇到的問題與挑戰，以及（三）新教宗派差會在基督宗教與中國文化的接觸與對話的實質。這篇論文即以美國聖公會中國差會首任主教文惠廉（1811-1864）與聖公會在華教會專業的開創為題，探討十九世紀中葉美國基督新教與中國文化的接觸與對話。論文重心雖然以文惠廉個人的生平與志業為主要論述主軸。更重要的是藉由文氏的經歷來思考基督新教，尤其是美國方面，為何會在十九世紀中葉積極開拓對華的差傳，來分析美國教會方面的可能考量。其次，在文氏建立中國差會所遇到來自中國、美國、教會和差會的四重阻礙與壓力，來探索基督新教與中國文化接觸與對話上盲點、問題、困難與契機。最後，再綜合討論文惠廉這位美國基督新教的傳教士在中西文化之媒介與交流上的角色與地位。

This article presents the American Episcopal Church and its China mission as a case in point to discuss how and why such a cultural encounter between American Protestantism and the Chinese culture could possibly happen in the mid-nineteenth century. The author intends to present the case not only from the perspective of the Church and the mission themselves. In answering why the Church would start such a mission to China, the author also put American religious ethos and Protestant denominational landscape in the early nineteenth century into discussion. Furthermore, to better our understanding about the Sino-American relations from the mid-1840s to the mid-1860s, such questions as how China was perceived by the mission and its missionaries as well as how China reacted herself to the mission when the Episcopalian missionaries endeavored to establish a missionary enterprise are carefully examined. It is noted that American Episcopal China mission was one of the first nine Protestant missions and the third American mission that answered the call from Robert Morrison (1782-1834) of London Missionary Society to win over China for Christ. To better answer those questions as mentioned above, the article especially centers its focus upon William J. Boone, the first missionary bishop of the mission. Bishop Boone was the key figure who embraced an American evangelical vision with an Episcopal version of interpretation. He successfully materialized such a vision by establishing a mission on the Chinese soil. Boone's devotion, efforts and patience made it possible for American Episcopal Church to continue its vision and mission there after his death. In sum, from the study of William J. Boone and the American Episcopal missionary enterprise, we may understand more about what Protestant missions really encountered and endured in mid-nineteenth century China.